Resources for Schools

Food allergy is a growing public health issue that impacts almost every school across the United States. Nearly 6 million children in the U.S. – which equates to 1 in 13, or roughly 2 in every classroom – have a food allergy.

Studies have indicated that 16-18% of school-age children who have food allergies have had a reaction in school. In addition, in approximately 25% of the reactions that occur at school, the student had not yet been diagnosed with food allergy.¹

Schools should develop policies to manage food allergies appropriately, including information on handling medical emergencies, and taking preventative measures to avoid a student’s exposure to a known food allergen. Physicians, families, and school staff should work together to formulate reasonable and practical plans that will keep students with food allergies safe.

FARE has a variety of resources for schools can use to help create a safer environment for students with food allergies and increase awareness about food allergies among the student body. These include:

Training Programs

• Safe@School
  FARE's Safe@School program provides resources for administrators to conduct in-service training about food allergies and anaphylaxis. Making a presentation about food allergies in child care facilities will be simplified with the use of this CD, which also provides talking points for presenters. To purchase this program, please call FARE at (800) 929-4040. Download and share this flyer describing FARE’s Safe@School program designed to provide educators with the facts and practical techniques they need to successfully manage food allergies in the school setting.

• How to C.A.R.E.^™ for Students with Food Allergies: What Educators Should Know: This free online interactive course teaches educators how to prepare for food allergy and anaphylaxis. It is specifically designed for school personnel – administrators, nurses, teachers, and other staff – in the United States.

Guidelines & Templates

• Food Allergy Action Plan – A Food Allergy Action Plan should be on file for every student with food allergies. This document outlines treatment recommended treatment in case of an allergic reaction, includes emergency contact numbers and is signed by the student’s physician.
• School Food Allergy Program – FARE’s School Food Allergy Program is a comprehensive multimedia educational resource that includes our Safe@School^® training presentation component. It’s an essential tool for schools that are developing a food allergy management policy. The School Food Allergy Program is available for purchase from FARE. Our new e-store is coming soon. In the meantime, for more information on these products or to place an order, please call us at 800-929-4040 or email support@foodallergy.org.
• Managing Food Allergies in the Cafeteria 
• Addressing Food Allergy Bullying
• School Guidelines for Managing Students with Food Allergies 
• Statewide Guidelines for Schools
• Online Food Allergy Toolkit for School Nurses: The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has been working on a joint grant from the Centers for Disease Control with FARE and the National School Boards Association to develop resources for food allergy and anaphylaxis management in the school setting. The NASN Online Food Allergy Tool Kit is now available online at www.nasn.org/ToolsResources/FoodAllergyandAnaphylaxis. This tool kit includes algorithms to enhance the school nurse’s approach to planning and care, checklists, forms, and resources. Guidance documents will soon be added.
• Binky Goes Nuts: Understanding Peanut Allergies: The popular animated PBS children’s series Arthur explores food alleriges in an episode titled "Binky Goes Nuts." The DVD and educational activity unit can be used by teachers and parents to teach kids about food allergy, and teach them how to help make their schools a safer place.

Additional resources schools may find useful:

• About Food Allergies
• About Anaphylaxis
• Disability
• How to Read a Label
• Avoiding Cross-Contact
• How a Child Might Describe a Reaction 

A Critical Need for Food Allergy Policies in Schools

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine titled “Fatal and Near-Fatal Anaphylactic Reactions to Food in Children and Adolescents” indicated that four of the six deaths from food allergy examined in the report occurred in school, and were associated with significant delays in treating the reactions with epinephrine.

Several other studies that have looked at food allergy and anaphylaxis management in schools and childcare settings have found inadequate food allergy management plans and inadequate recognition of allergic symptoms and treatment with epinephrine.

1. Administration of Epinephrine for Life-Threatening Allergic Reactions in School Settings. CL Mcintyre, AH Sheetz, CR Carroll, MC Young. Pediatrics. Vol. 116, No. 5. Nov. 2005